AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I rake my hands through my hair, frustrated that pacing my apartment hasn’t made the time go any faster. Nor has it made her appear.
Surely after last night she realizes we can find a way to move forward…
I stare up at the bowel of the truck I’m lying under, trying to unwind my jaw. To distract myself, I grabbed my toolbox from the closet, and climbed under Jacqueline's truck, settling down to work on it. There’s nothing wrong with the vehicle but I didn't want to spend hours thinking about Adeline and where she possibly is.
So far, it hasn’t worked.
Someone kicks my leg as I lie under the truck, throwing my pulse into overdrive. I’ve never let anyone walk up to me without my knowledge.
"Hey, Luke."
I help myself out from under the vehicle, blinking as the morning sun hits my eyes. A figure stands before me and it takes me a few seconds to realize it's Jacqueline herself. My heart stops racing and disappointment stings me like an icy shower of rain. For a moment there, I thought it was Adeline.
"You don't look excited to see me." Jacqueline steps closer and I appreciate her figure blocking the rays of the morning sun.
I still find myself squinting up at her. "How are you, Jacqueline?"
She raises her chin once at the truck. "What are you doing?”
"Fixing your car."
"Did something happen to it?"
I rise to my feet, rubbing my dirty hands on my jeans. "Not really. Just checking it out."
"Well, someone's watching you."
I look at her. "What are you talking about?"
"Over there. At the railing. It's your neighbor," Jacqueline answers but she doesn't look behind her.
I do. Canopying my eyes with a hand to block the blinding sunlight, I glance back at the residential building. She's right. My neighbor, Ryan, is there. The one who lives in 9A. He's watching me with that creepy gaze of his and I wonder how long he's been standing there.
"What's with him?" Jacqueline asks, crossing her arms.
I return my attention to the truck. There are more pressing things on my mind, like where the fuck Addy is. "I don't know. He's just weird. And we don't really have much to do with each other."
"Let's stop talking about him, then. He gives me the chills." Jacqueline taps my shoulder, a smile curling the corners of her mouth. "How's Adeline?"
The question tugs at my heart. It's funny how you go from living your life, determined to be free of responsibility or relationships. Then next, someone like Addy walks into your life and there’s nothing you won't do to hold onto it.
But if Jacqueline senses my worry, she won't leave until she’s convinced me to give Adeline a call or go to her home. She has no idea Adeline's a wolf from the High Ridge Pack, the same people who killed my parents. Maybe if she knows, like the Blood Born pack, she won't hesitate to sentence Adeline to death.
"Adeline is fine." I beam at her, even as my worry threatens to wipe away the fake smile. "I'm going to be seeing her in a few hours."
Jacqueline returns the smile. She puts a hand on my shoulder while her eyes twinkle with tears. "It really is good seeing you happy, Luke. You light up when you talk about her. I haven’t seen you this happy since…"
She chokes on the rest of her words, tears clouding her eyes now. Her anguish is raw, tugging at mine. I pull her to me, trying to wipe her tears at the same time.
"I know. It's okay, Jacqueline."
"I miss them too, you know,” she sniffs. “They were my friends."
"It's impossible not to miss them."
We stay like that for a few seconds before Jacqueline pulls away and says she has to leave. I bid her goodbye and abandon my work on the truck. My neighbor is still there and his inquisitive eyes are enough to pull me back into my apartment. I get to my front door and mutter a greeting to him. He answers and says nothing again.
Where the hell is Addy? I ask myself as soon as I enter the apartment, stealing glances out of my window to catch her when she pulls up to the parking lot.
